Antioch police have arrested a man in connection with the torching of at least four large palm trees lining the city’s waterfront.

On April 2, police arrested Kenneth Ray Crandell, a 39-year-old Antioch transient, believed to be living near the waterfront area, on suspicion of setting fire to four palm trees. Crandell has been released pending formal charges by the district attorney’s office, which is expected to charge him with at least one misdemeanor count of unlawfully and recklessly causing a fire, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District investigator Randy Champion said. If convicted, Crandell could face a year in jail.

Since February, a half-dozen palm trees have gone up in flames in that area, Champion said.

On Feb. 8, two large palm trees caught fire within an hour of each other. On Feb. 12 and 13, two more palm trees burned in the same area. A joint Contra Costa Fire and Antioch police investigation linked Crandell to those four fires, Champion said.

Palm trees are easily ignitable because of their hairy bark. Investigators believe Crandell used a lighter or matches to spark the trees, Champion said.

The investigation was unique for Champion.

“I’ve investigated many serial or spree fires,” he said. “But this was the first palm tree case.”

– Matthias Gafni,Bay Area News Group

OAKLAND

Mother of tot dies

of stray bullet wound

A 21-year-old mom who was struck by a bullet while she slept in her bed Monday night was pronounced dead Wednesday.

Shaneice Davis, the mother of a 1-year-old daughter, appears to be the unintended victim. She was hit when shots were fired at a group standing at an outdoor memorial for another shooting victim.

A stray bullet traveled through the wall of an apartment in the 8200 block of MacArthur Boulevard and struck Davis in the head.

– Angela Woodall,Bay Area News Group
BAY AREA

BART ponders letting riders use ‘sippy’ cups

BART’s board of directors agreed Thursday to look into selectively relaxing its food ban on trains for passengers who would buy BART-licensed “sippy” cups that are designed to prevent spills.

Some board members expressed reservations about relaxing the ban because they fear that some riders would spill coffee and sodas even from spill-resistant cups, adding to rider complaints about dirty seat covers and floors.

However, the entire board agreed to have BART administrators look into a limited exception for sippy cups, and then bring the issue back for discussion at a future meeting.

The plastic, reusable cups initially were designed for toddlers, but they also have caught on among adults who do not want hot coffee or sticky soda to land in their lap while traveling.

Board member Lynette Sweet proposed the sippy cup exemption as a way for BART to make money from sale of licensed drink mugs that meet anti-spill standards approved by the transit system.

The cups also would help douse criticism of BART’s plans for a transit system vendor to open coffee kiosks at eight train stations to sell Peet’s Coffee and Tea products. In announcing the coffee kiosk plan last week, BART also reminded riders that they could be slapped with $250 tickets if they took coffee onto trains.

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